Sunday, February 11, 2018

Slow-Paced vs. Fast-Paced Books: What They Say About Their Readers

Earlier this year, I mentioned I wanted to read another 1,000-page book. Then, to start off the year, I checked out a bunch of
graphic novels. Maybe I’m preparing myself or maybe I’m procrastinating. Either
way, I like to think that I enjoy all sorts of fiction. Sure, I have some
preferences, but just because I enjoy lengthy classics and studied for an MA in English Literature doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy commercial fiction as
well.

As I was reading Les
Miserables last year, I got to thinking about slow-paced books versus
fast-paced books. And it seems like, in the writing community anyway, writers
are discouraged from writing slow-paced books. After all, according to what
I’ve seen, it’s the writer’s job to hold the reader’s attention and keep them
turning pages.

But, that hasn’t been my experience as a reader. If one
applied the same principle to half of the classics out there, they would
wouldn’t exist the way they do. Even with all the abridged classics out there,
determined readers still seek out the unabridged versions. It’s almost as
though some readers scoff at the length and the negative attitude that they
can’t get through it. One-thousand two-hundred pages? Challenge accepted!

What does that mean for the reading industry if some readers
like slow-paced books and others like fast-paced books?

Slow-Paced Books:
What are they?

A fine line often lies between slow-paced books and boring
books, but a slower novel does not necessarily equate a boring one. Though most
slower books are often associated with monstrous books like Les Miserable (aka “The Brick”) at 1,200
pages, some slow-paced books can fall within the 300-page range.

Slower books take more energy and concentration to read.
When I first picked up The Name of the
Wind, I almost quit after the prologue because I wasn’t reading it at the
right time. I was sitting on a chair, watching the movers haul our furniture in
the house, occasionally getting up to direct them to the right room.

After less than a page, I gave up on this fantasy and picked
up Wonder, a 200-ish page Middle
Grade novel. It turned out to be a much easier read, and I could easily come
back to it despite constant interruptions. A couple days after the movers had
left, I settled down in the living room with some peace and quiet to read The Name of the Wind. I finished it
within a matter of days.

I had to apply the same amount of concentration while
reading Les Miserable (a great for
traveling despite its size) and The Wake.

Petition to stop readers and reviewers from saying and
writing “This book was boring! And I
read Moby-Dick.” What does that even
mean? Moby-Dick is tough, but it’s
far from boring.

What do slow-paced
books say about their readers?

After I graduated from the University of Nottingham, I spent
about six months reading fast-paced YA novels. I was tired of slow, long literature.
*gasp* But it didn’t take long for me to miss the intellectual challenges of
university, so I started checking out some more difficult books, starting with Moby-Dick.

In the end, it took me seven months to read, but I enjoyed
it. And not just for the bragging rights—for the content. I was fascinated that
Melville could connect something as base as whaling with religion, art, biology,
environmentalism, literature, you name it. Even somebody who’s not into whales
could probably find something that applies to their field of study within the
book’s pages.

Readers who live fast-paced lives may enjoy books that are
slower.

And it was around that time that I realized that I like
reading slow-paced books. Often times, my life is so hectic, I need a breather.
Sometimes a long, slow book is just that. Having moved every year for the past
six years, reading the same book for a couple months actually feels like some
stability. (This month we’re approaching one year in our house! Whoot!)

Slow-paced books generally tend to have more development.

That isn’t to say that fast-paced books can’t be
well-developed. I would consider A Darker
Shade of Magic to fall under the fast-paced category, but the world and
character development is excellent.

That being said, many slow books go off onto tangents that are
completely unrelated to the plot. Often times these tangents are annoying. Do
readers really need to know everything about how to slice up a whale? But sometimes
these tangents are fascinating, like how Ishmael (Moby-Dick) thought the dragon from legend of St. George could have
been a whale. (Whether I support that theory—I don’t—is another matter
entirely.) Another fascinating tangent include the settings within TheBooks
ofPellinor. Sometimes, the
setting is vital to the plot, and other times, the narrator was just capturing
the beauty or the destitution of the place.

Fast-Paced Books:
What are they?

In a society that moves quickly, fast-paced books are
designed to be page-turners. A book that hooks the reader, forces them to
procrastinate on everything else, and makes them stay up late to finish the
book is often considered the ideal fast-paced read. Of course, some books may
be fast-paced and still not be read in one setting because the reader has
another life, in which case, the book is finished in two sittings or within a
matter of days.

For me, right now, a fast-paced book is one that I can
finish in one or two sittings, within a day or so. I feel like I’m always
looking for the next good book that will pull me into the story and make me
want to finish it as soon as possible. The last book that was a real page-turner
for me happened to be The Beast of Talesend.

Unlike slower books, fast-paced stories don’t really have
time to stop and admire the scenery because the characters are probably trying
to outrun a dragon, defuse a bomb, or something exciting like that.

What do fast-paced
books say about their readers?

Fast-paced books tend to connect more with the reader’s
emotions.

That’s not to say that slower books can’t evoke emotions,
but fast-paced books focus more on doing so. Graphic novels are great at
evoking emotions because they’re also visual.

Many readers pick up fast-paced books to be entertained.

It’s not a shallow thing; it’s just the way some readers
are. I often pick up books to be entertained. Not all books have to be intellectual.
Besides, I’d rather pick up a book to be entertained than to watch a movie or
show. That way, I still get to use my imagination without somebody else doing
it for me. What’s the fun in that?

Fast-paced books tend to be a form of escapism.

When I was studying for my undergraduate degree, I used to
read fast-paced novels for leisure all the time. It was the way I took my study
breaks and turned out to be particularly motivational while studying for exams.
I’d study for half an hour to forty-five minutes, then read a chapter. Then, I
couldn’t read another one until I studied again.

What about readers
who enjoy both?

I’m going to be completely honest, I’m both. After a novel
that progresses at a leisurely pace—and sometimes during such stories—I like a
story that will drag me off on an adventure.

A thicker book might inspire thought, and a page-turner
might inspire emotion. Too much of one or the other isn’t ideal. A sense of
balance is needed.

In all, this isn’t to say that just because you enjoy a fast-paced
story over a slower one means you’re a bad reader. Quite the opposite.
Sometimes people need a break from slow-paced books. And vice versa. But in a
world where everything, particularly technology, is progressing so quickly,
leisurely pastimes fall by the wayside. It becomes harder and harder to find
somebody who enjoys reading slower books just for the sake of the book.

But when you find somebody who likes to read the same type
of books that you do, keep them close! Start up some bookish conversations.
Share book recommendations. Reading may be a solitary activity, but don’t be
afraid to connect with fellow readers. After all, what is the purpose of
reading if not to discover to put the book down every once in a while and
really live.

Let’s chat! Did I leave any elements of either pace of
fiction out? Which types of books do you prefer—fast-paced or slow-paced ones?
Do you enjoy plot-focused stories or character-focused ones?